The percussionists from the band

                           Did not get a lot of sleep last night,

                           And neither did I.

 

                           They started entertaining

                           About one in the morning and

                           Continued until six.

 

                           The opening movement

                           Consisted of low timpani slowly

                           Building to the staccato booms

                           Of the bass drum.

 

                           The second movement

                           Spotlighted large cymbals crashing,

                           While snares put together

                           Their relentless rhythms

                           On the roof, trees, and ground.

 

                           And the final movement

                           Featured the gradual

                           Retiring of the snares,

                           One clang of the small cymbals,

                           A silver tinkling of the bells,

                           Then three slow booms on the big bass drum,

                           And a gentle pom,  pom,  pom, by the timpani.

 

                           The early morning sun

                           Revealed a sparking world,

                           Gleaming in rain soaked trees,

                           And silvery grass.     

 

                           But, as I said to begin with,

                           The percussionists from the band

                           Did not get a lot of sleep last night,

                           And neither did I.

                                                                                                                      Cerita M. Hewett

                                                                                                                        April 2014